Method and apparatus for providing a roof-mounted upright bicycle carrier

Abstract

Apparatus and method for transporting a bicycle in a substantially upright orientation. The method includes positioning a bicycle in a carrier so that a wheel of the bicycle is located in a trap space of the carrier. The trap space is configured to maintain the bicycle in a substantially upright orientation when the wheel is located therein and the carrier is in a released configuration. This permits the operator to use both hands to secure the bicycle in the carrier. The wheel of the bicycle, and typically the front wheel, is fixed in the carrier by applying a squeeze force upon the wheel and thereby establishing a securing configuration of the carrier. Preferably, the squeeze force is imposed across a perimeter of the wheel and the actuators for imposing the squeeze force are positioned low enough to be within the typical user's reach, also referred to as the reach zone, when the carrier is mounted on the roof-top of a carrying vehicle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.